Keene, NH - 9/12/2024: The tragedy occurring at the start of the school year that impacted the family, our school, and our community is incredibly difficult on every level. We will not be sharing any individual student names because that is protected by federal law.
Questions have been raised within the community about what our schools are doing, specifically in regard to bullying. Our schools have and will continue to take bullying seriously. We are committed to providing all students a safe and secure environment. Our staff are dedicated and caring professionals that take that responsibility with the utmost importance. Conduct that constitutes bullying is unacceptable, will not be tolerated and is not allowed in our schools, not now, not ever!
Our policy on bullying, JICK, was most recently updated in 2022 and reflects what state statute requires in all schools in NH. That policy, as well as all of our policies can be found on our website at www.keeneschoolsnh.org.
Beyond what is codified in policy, our schools make additional efforts to prevent bullying from occurring at school by:
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Implementing researched-based programs that promote kindness, teach students how their words and actions can affect others, and provide tools to help students make sound decisions.
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Nurturing appropriate behavior with all students while at school and reporting behaviors that are not appropriate.
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Investigating reports of misconduct as they are received, providing supportive measures and issuing administrative consequences consistent with policy and law for violations.
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Conducting student assemblies throughout the school year to articulate and reinforce school-wide expectations.
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Communicating classroom expectations with students continually throughout the school year.
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Recognizing acts of kindness and celebrating student successes to positively reinforce appropriate behavior and expectations.
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Providing support personnel for students to help meet their individual needs.
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Facilitating restorative practices with students.
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Continuing to promote the message of when you see or hear something you say something.
Bullying has been an issue for many years. However, the influences that our students are exposed to today, through technology and social media for example, has amplified this and is abundantly evident. I want to be clear that we are not teaching our students how to bully one another. These are learned behaviors that are brought onto our playgrounds, our streets, in our communities and into our schools. Yet the laws on bullying in NH are only found in the education chapters of our statutes. That alone is problematic.
As I stated, our staff are dedicated and caring professionals who want the best outcomes for all students. They are champions for our students, yours, mine, and everyones. Nurturing a positive, inclusive, safe community is all of our responsibilities. For kindness and acceptance to spread we must work together to ensure that negativity and hurtful actions and words do not prevail.
If you have information of student misconduct, please report it to your school’s principal and encourage your children to do the same or to reach out to a trusted adult within their school. If you have concerns about your student, please reach out to their teacher, counselor or administrator.
These are difficult times. Our pathway forward is better together.